Living in an apartment community has its advantages, such as amenities, no repair costs, generally being less expensive than a house, and location. Unfortunately, apartments are also sought-after areas for criminals and criminal activity. Many incidents in these communities go undetected for reasons such as a lack of ownership by residents, transiency and fear.
Apartment owners and managers have the difficult tasks of spending money for repairs and filing evictions due to criminal activity. Police have the difficult task of responding to incidents in apartments only to realize their efforts don’t always reduce crime. Some reasons include lack of cooperation from residents, lack of interest by owners/managers, and a high volume of service calls.
The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, developed in 1992 at the Mesa, Ariz., Police Department, addresses these problems. It is designed to help keep drugs and other illegal activity off rental property. It requires apartment owners/managers to take a proactive role by ensuring program requirements are fulfilled. The program is tenant-friendly and easy to implement. It instills a unique partnership between apartment owners/managers, residents and law enforcement.
The Gwinnett County Police Department implemented the internationally recognized program over two years ago in Central Precinct, headed by Officer Humberto Garcia. Due to its success, the department expanded the program to West Precinct and assigned me as coordinator.
There are three mandatory phases in the program that apartment communities must achieve to be certified. Phase I consists of an eight-hour seminar for property owners and/or managers. Officers expert in their fields and an apartment law attorney provide information on topics that include community policing, applicant screening, fair housing laws, evictions, drug awareness, gang awareness and more.
Phase II consists of implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles. Specific crime deterrence strategies pertaining to lighting, landscaping and unit security must be met. A survey of the property is completed and provided to managers documenting any discrepancies that must be addressed and re-inspected before moving to Phase III.
Phase III consists of a safety social, hosted by apartment managers, to give residents an opportunity to meet the management team and police officers. The coordinator explains the program, provides crime prevention tips and answers residents’ questions.
Upon completion of all three phases, the apartment is certified in the program and allowed to use its logo in all advertisements. The community also receives a large sign to display informing everyone that they have joined the program. Managers must provide forms, such as the Crime Deterrence Housing Addendum, along with their usual leasing documents. All residents are required to sign the document, which states in part that they agree not to participate in criminal activity.
To reach out to apartment residents, Gwinnett police multi-housing coordinators and crime prevention officers regularly host educational programs. The outreach shows residents another side of law enforcement while providing safety tips and information on various county resources.
The coordinators work as liaisons between the police department and apartment managers, providing information on criminal activity on the property. Specific safety concerns can be addressed in a timely manner. Other benefits for property owners/managers include reduced exposure to civil liability, increased property values and improved personal safety.
Some Central Precinct apartments in the program have had up to a 50-percent reduction in crime and calls for service. The program has seen up to 90-percent reductions in crime in other areas of the country. The results we’ve seen so far in Gwinnett are encouraging. With the continued support of the community, we look forward to the program’s continued success.
David Martinez is the crime-free multi-housing coordinator for Gwinnett’s West Precinct.
